Multi-wheel underwater excavation machine

ABSTRACT

An underwater excavating device having a cutting means to cut into underwater land surfaces, a collecting means for collecting the excavated material, and conveying means for conveying the collected material from the cutting means to the collecting means. A transporting wheel is centrally disposed on the device and has radially outwardly extending edges disposed laterally on each side of the wheel which form a channel around the circumference of the wheel. The conveyor belt, which is adapted to be received by the radially extending edges of the wheel and is disposed on theexcavating device so as to be guided in the channel, conveys the collected material from the cutting means to the collecting means.

United States Patent 11 1 Lachnit 1 MULTl-WHEEL UNDERWATER EXCAVATION MACHINE [75] Inventor: Friedrich Lachnit,Mulheim/Rhur,

Germany [73] Assignee: Deutsche Babcock & Wilcox Aktiengesellschaft, Oberhausen, Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 19, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 125,983

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 3, 1970 Germany P 20 15 894.5

[52] U.S. Cl. 299/8, 37/9, 37/54,

37/111 [51] Int. Cl E02f 7/00 [58] FieldofSearch ..37/1l1-l14,9,5 4, 70; 299/8, 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 115,998 6/1871 Williams 37/9 3,556,598 1/1971 Smith 2,806,304 9/1957 Wind 37/9 3,480,326 11/1969 Shearyllletal ..299/8 1,220,197 3/1917 Cowles 37/54 X June 19, 1973 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder AttorneyAllison C. Collard [57] ABSTRACT An underwater excavating device having a cutting means to cut into underwater land surfaces, a collecting means for collecting the excavated material, and conveying means for conveying the collected material from the cutting means to the collecting means. A transporting wheel is centrally disposed on the device and has radially outwardly extending edges disposed laterally on each side of the wheel which form a channel around the circumference of the wheel. The conveyor belt, which is adapted to be received by the radially extending edges of the wheel and is disposed on theexcavating device so as to be guided in the channel, conveys the collected material from the cutting means to the collecting means.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MULTl-WHEEL UNDERWATER EXCAVATION MACHINE This invention relates to underwater excavating devices, and in particular to devices which have a cutting means to cut into the underwater land surfaces, receiving means to collect the excavated material, and means for transporting the excavated material from the cutting means to the receiving means.

Excavating devices of this type are known in the prior art and move on a plurality of closely spaced rollers. Between the rollers small cutting knives are arranged for cutting into the land. The excavated material is then transported into a bucket-like drum and to a receiving means which is in the form of a funnel. With this device the size of the material which may be excavated effectively depends on the roller spacing. Fine grained deposits and mud are rinsed away while being transported between the knives and the receiving means and thus cannot be conveyed into the receiving means. This type of device is thus not suitable for scientific, biological or geological testing of an underwater land surface. A further disadvantage of this device is that since a plurality of small openings exist between the fixed and movable parts of the device which operate in close proximity to the underwater bottom, stones may become jammed therein. Only one stone jammed in the machine would cause the device to become inoperative since the rotating drum for transporting the material would not turn. The device would then have to be brought to the water surface. This is rather time consuming and troublesome, particularly at depths of, for example, 4,000 meters.

The present invention provides an underwater excavating device which is suitable for collecting both scientific samples and high capacity commercial material from underwater land surfaces. The excavating device is provided with a cutting means and a collecting means which collects the excavated material from the cutting means and transports it to the collecting means. The collected material is transported by a transporting wheel, having radially extending edges, and a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is mounted so as to enable it to receive material and transport it and is guided by the lateral edges which extend from the transporting wheel. The advantages of this method of material collection are readily apparent, since the conveyor belt, the transporting wheel, and the radially extending edges form a channel which is almost completely closed for transporting the excavated material. Thus, finely grained material and mud, which are important in scientific testing, are not rinsed away while being transported to the collecting means. Furthermore, the number of openings between the fixed and movable parts of the device in the range of the material to be collected is greatly diminished. The speed of the conveyor belt preferably corresponds to the circumferential speed of the transporting wheel so that there is a frictionless transportation. This is achieved by coupling the con-.

veyor belt with the transporting wheel by means of ribs which extend from the edges of the conveyor belt. These ribs engage cut-outs which are provided in the edges of the transporting wheel. During the operation of the device, the ribs of the belt engage the cut-outs and the conveyor belt moves with the same speed as the outer edge of the transporting wheel. At the same time the ribs avoid the collected material from slipping from the conveyor belt. A further embodiment of the invention includes pivotable plates which are mounted on i the conveyor belt to scoop up watery mud into the receiving means without any loss of material. When the inventive device is used for collecting high capacity material for commercial purposes, and mud and clay deposits are not desired, the conveyor belt is provided with openings which permit the undesired mud and clay deposits to be rinsed away from the conveyor channel during the excavating operation. Thus, only the desired grain material is collected in the receiving means. When the device is used for collecting materials for scientific purposes, a plurality of collecting drums are usually provided. When the device is used for collecting high capacity material, the receiving means is usually formed like a funnel. Means might also be coupled to the receiving means for continuously conveying the collected material to the water surface. The device may also be provided with a plurality of collecting drums when it is used for collecting high capacity material, in order to increase the amount of material to be collected.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an underwater excavating device which is capable of digging up finely grained material and mud from land surfaces below water and enable the material to be transported by a conveyor belt to a receptacle without being rinsed away in the process.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an underwater excavation device which is simple in design, easy to operate, and efficient and reliable in operation.

Other objects and features in the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying Drawing which discloses the embodiments of the invention. It is tobe understood, however, that the drawing is designed for the purpose of illustration, only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown two wheels 3 and 4 and a transporting wheel 5., mounted on a common rigid axis 1. Wheels 3 and 4 are provided with ribs 2. Axis I is mounted in a frame which supports wheels 3 and 4 and consists of a collecting drum 6 at into rear end of the device, a roller bar 7, rods 8 and runners 9 shown in FIG. 2 which are mounted in front of the device for stabilizing the machine. .A pulling axle l0is connected to the frame and is rotatably mounted around a horizontal axis 11. A rope or other suitable means may be attached to the end of the axle 10 in order to move the device. The laterally disposed outer edges 12 and 13 extend radially outward from transporting wheel 5. A cutting knife 15 is disposed between the edges 12 and 13 to cut into the land surface 14.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, a conveyor belt 16 is provided adjacent to transporting wheel 5. The collected material is conveyed on this conveyor belt from knife 15 to collecting drum 6. The conveyor belt is guided between radial edges 12 and 13 of transporting wheel 5, and isforced against the wheel 5 between the radial edges as a result of radially inwardly directed tension produced by the conveyor belt mounting structure. Thus, the conveyor belt engages the wheel as the material is conveyed upwardly from knife 15. At the highest point of transporting wheel 5, a sheet metal chute 17 is provided to guide the collected material in the direction of arrow 18 and into collecting drums 6,

which are arranged laterally with respect to transporting wheel 5. Thus, the collected material is conveyed through an almost totally closed conveyor channel 19, so that clay and mud deposits are not rinsed away. The excavating device also includes rods 21 upon which knife is mounted. Rods 21 are mounted on roller bar 7 and are rotatable about a horizontal axis 20. Rods 21 are also coupled to rigid axis 1 by rods which are pivotably connected to rods 21 on axis 26. This coupling to the axis 1 allows rods 21 to be pivoted and thereby allow height-wise adjustment of knife 15 and also an adjustment of the channel space existing between conveyor belt 16 and transporting wheel 5.

In the device shown in FIG. 3, conveyor belt 16 is provided with ribs 22 which engage corresponding cutouts 23 which are provided in transporting wheel 5.

The conveyor belt 16 thereby moves with the same speed as the outer edge of transporting wheel 5. Conveyor belt 16 is also provided with pivotable plates 24 which assist in the excavation of the material.

The transport wheel and the conveyor belt may be provided with a plurality of openings 27. These openings permit excavated material which is undesirable to be rinsed away during the excavating operation so that only the desired material is collected in the collecting drums.

While only a few embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An underwater excavating device having a cutting means to cut into land surfaces underwater, a collecting means for collecting the excavated material, and conveying means for conveying the collected material from the cutting means to the collecting means, the improvements comprising:

a transporting wheel, centrally disposed on the device, having radially outwardly extending edges disposed laterally on either side of said wheel, forming a channel around the circumference of said wheel, and a plurality of cut-outs disposed in said radially outwardly extending edges; and

a conveyor belt, disposed between said radially outwardly extending edges of said wheel so as to be guided in said channel formed by said radially outwardly extending edges, for conveying the material collected from the cutting means to the collecting means, and including a plurality of rib members which extend laterally beyond the edges of said conveyor belt so as to engage said cut-outs provided in said radially outwardly extending edges of said wheel, said cutouts and said rib members cooperating so that the speed of said conveyor belt corresponds to the peripheral speed of said transporting wheel.

2. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt further comprises pivotable plates mounted across the width of said conveyor belt, for conveying the excavated material from the cutting means to the collecting means.

3. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 2, wherein said transporting wheel and said conveyor belt are provided with a plurality of openings which permit undesirable material to be rinsed away during the excavating operation so that only desirable material is collected in the collecting means.

4. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 3, further comprising at least two supporting wheels, rotatably mounted on a common rigid axis with said transporting wheel, for supporting the excavation device and allowing movement thereof across underwater land surfaces.

5. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of cylindrical collecting drums, disposed within said supporting wheels, for collecting the excavated material. 

1. An underwater excavating device having a cutting means to cut into land surfaces underwater, a collecting means for collecting the excavated material, and conveying means for conveying the collected material from the cutting means to the collecting means, the improvements comprising: a transporting wheel, centrally disposed on the device, having radially outwardly extending edges disposed laterally on either side of said wheel, forming a channel around the circumference of said wheel, and a plurality of cut-outs disposed in said radially outwardly extending edges; and a conveyor belt, disposed between said radially outwardly extending edges of said wheel so as to be guided in said channel formed by said radially outwardly extending edges, for conveying the material collected from the cutting means to the collecting means, and including a plurality of rib members which extend laterally beyond the edges of said conveyor belt so as to engage said cut-outs provided in said radially outwardly extending edges of said wheel, said cutouts and said rib members cooperating so that the speed of said conveyor belt corresponds to the peripheral speed of said transporting wheel.
 2. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt further comprises pivotable plates mounted across the width of said conveyor belt, for conveying the excavated material from the cutting means to the collecting means.
 3. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 2, wherein said transporting wheel and said conveyor belt are provided with a plurality of openings which permit undesirable material to be rinsed away during the excavating operation so that only desirable material is collected in the collecting means.
 4. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 3, further comprising at least two supporting wheels, rotatably mounted on a common rigid axis with said transporting wheel, for supporting the excavation device and allowing movement thereof across underwater land surfaces.
 5. The underwater excavating device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of cylindrical collecting drums, disposed within said supporting wheels, for collecting the excavated material. 